Give us the skinny.
When The Standard launched its “diffusion” hotel line with The StandardX, Melbourne late last year, we knew it was going to be a design darling. It’s the first Standard hotel of any kind in Australia and the first StandardX to launch worldwide (followed recently by its artsy Bangkok sibling).
The building itself, a new build on a corner block, is by Woods Bagot, a global architectural firm originating in Adelaide, South Australia. Interior design is by Hecker Guthrie, a studio based a few suburbs away, who worked with Standard’s in-house creative team led by Verena Haller. We love what they did with the place.
The vibe.
Unsurprisingly, the vibe is laidback and the look is funky. The first-floor common space serves as a combined restaurant/bar/lobby that’s sectioned into nooks and niches that make you want to just plop down and spend some time soaking up the ambience.
Hecker Guthrie’s curation of plush lounges and fuzzy textiles creates a comfiness that’s surprising for a place with such an edgy parent brand. Oversized drapes, quirky knick knacks and chunky sculptural elements (like twisty bench seating) add playfulness to a neutral backdrop. There are lots of delightful design details and lush live plants, giving this space a personable, living-room feel.
The location.
Fitzroy is known as Melbourne’s hipster enclave; it was once even named Australia’s coolest suburb. Its streets offer up a dizzy array of small, independent cafes, restaurants, bars, boutiques, clubs, pubs (even one called The Standard—no affiliation) and more. You feel tapped into the city when you’re here.
If you want to see an alternative side of Melbourne, with less polish but far more personality than the CBD, this is it. To explore the city and beyond, trams run to Parliament in the CBD all day and most of the night, the trip taking around 15 minutes. Too easy, as we say here in the Antipodes.
The crowd.
Fellow guests seemed to all be tourists (it’s not a great location for corporate travelers)—the kind you’d expect to see in a boutique hotel in a trendy location. That’s not to say you need to be “cool” to stay here. If anything, Fitzroy is a “come as you are” kinda place, and The StandardX, Melbourne feels similarly welcoming.
The rooms.
We were expecting interesting, artsy details, and the rooms delivered. The first thing to understand is that entry-level categories aren’t super spacious (the Cozy King Rooms are 21 sqm)—but they are perfectly formed, with a pleasing economy of space. If more real estate is what you want, opt for a suite, which will give you up to 48 sqm to swan around in.
Room details we love include: a hooded chambray bathrobe (which you can buy), a Smeg kettle, a fold-down desk area that optimizes space, minibar with complimentary grounds from Industry Beans (because you’re in the coffee-snob capital of the world), French press, and bright geometric artwork by New York–based Aussie, Jane Sinclair.
The only aspect that didn’t spark joy was the bathroom door situation. They’re made from tinted-yet-not-quite-opaque rippled glass. We just don’t want to get behind bathroom doors that can’t grant absolute, 100 percent privacy.
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Balcony King Room. Courtesy Rhiannon Taylor.
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Deluxe King bathroom. Courtesy Rhiannon Taylor.
The food & drink.
Dining at The StandardX, Melbourne centers on BANG, an all-day diner “with a focus on Thai street flavors.” Breakfast and brunch however run the full spectrum of pan-Asian and Western dishes—yes, smashed avo on sourdough included.
Those Thai flavors manifest most noticeably in lunch and dinner as creative versions of som tum papaya salad, tom kha soup and chilli-basil stir fry. Come expecting Thai-adjacent cuisine with fresh Aussie ingredients and you’ll leave satisfied.
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Roast duck leg curry. Courtesy of StandardX.
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BANG's lounge nook for drinking in. Courtesy Rhiannon Taylor.
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Southern blue fin tuna with ginger-turmeric spread. Courtesy of The StandardX.
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Blue Swimmer Crab Pa Tong Ko donuts. Courtesy of StandardX.
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A sunlit dining table at BANG. Courtesy Rhiannon Taylor.
For drinks, there’s a bar at BANG with a sultry red nook to smoulder in that’s a hit with Instagrammers. Then there’s The Roof, the seventh-floor rooftop bar area, which would be a crime to miss. It’s a quiet spot for aperitifs, sundowners, night caps or whatever you please, with views of Melbourne CBD and the buzzy, character-filled streets of Fitzroy below. If you’re staying in this part of town, you’re probably not dining in-house every night, but The Roof’s a great starting point for an evening’s adventures.
The service.
In a nutshell: energetic, friendly, laidback. Every interaction was smiley and bubbly, check-in was fast, luggage arrived in the room swiftly, restaurant service was prompt and down-to-earth, and check-out was seamless (basically just handing in a keycard). There was no design-hotel aloofness, only people who genuinely seemed happy to see you.
Would we visit again?
For sure! The StandardX, Melbourne’s Fitzroy location is perfect for travelers who want to stay in an actually cultural part of Australia’s “cultural capital,” enveloped in comfy, clever, playful design.
standardx.com/melbourne; doubles from AUD 246 per night.
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
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